Stringed musical instrument



Get. 4, 1932.

R. D. CURRIER STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 11, 1950 lnven for:

Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD DOE CURRIER, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS; WALTER B. GRANT EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF SAID RICHARD I). CURRIER, DECEASED STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed February 11, 1930. Serial No. 427,588.

My. invention relates to improvements in bass bars for musical instruments, especially as applied to the violin family. As is well known to those familiar with the art of making musical instruments of this type, the bass bar now in use is attached by glue or other adhesive, for the purpose of fixing the full length of the bass bar to the inner surface of the belly or top Wall of the body of the instrument. In this customary manner of attaching the upper edge of the bass bar, the sound producing vibrations from the strings must travel from the bridge through the body or top wall of the body of the 1n- '3 strument, and thence come in contact with the glue or other adhesive material, before the vibrations can reach the bass bar. The glue or other adhesive material forms an obstruction or impediment to the passage of the sound vibrations, and thereby both the quality and quantity of the vibrations before,

they can enter the bass bar for final distribution to their destinations.

By the utilization of the bass bar of my invention, I eliminate these objectionable features and consequent results due to the special construction and arrangement of the bass bar of my invention. In carrying out my invention I employ a bass bar of suitable length and having a cut-away part or opening in its upper edge to form an inverted suspension arch under the wall and suspended from the inner side of the body of the instrument. At its ends, only, this bass bar is attached to the body of the instrument, thereby providing ample space which permits the sound vibrations to travel, without interruption or impedance, down the bridge, through the body Wall or belly of the instrument, and down the base bar posts into the body of the bass bar.

By the use of the bass bar of my invention I am enabled to increase the quantity and quality of tones of the instrument; insure quicker response to the touch; secure longer tone vibrations; facilitate the production of swelling and fading tones; uniformly adjust all notes; and maintain easy control of the low register adjustments of the notes.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one complete example of the physi Ii":

cal embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to one mode I have devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Flgure 1 1s a longitudlnal sectional vlew of a violin body showing the bass bar of my invention utilized therein, at line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a'sectional view at line 2-2 of Figure 1 with the back omitted and look ing into the body of the instrument.

For convenience of illustration and description I shall refer to the invention as embodied in a violin, but it will be understood that the invention is adapted for use 7 I have illustrated portions of a violin in cluding the back as 1, the front Wall or belly 2 having the usual, spaced slots or openings 3, 3 extending longitudinally of the belly and at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the body, for the transmission of sounds. The bridge 4, tail piece 5, and strings 6 are also indicated in Figure 1.

The bass bar 7 is secured at its opposite ends 8 and 9 as usual to the inner face of the belly 2, and situated between the two sound openings or slots 3, 3 of the belly, and the bar is fashioned as a suspension arch by the use of a cut-out part or depression in the upper edge of the bass bar which forms a space 10 for a low register sounding board. I This space between the belly of the body and the suspension bass bar, is free of the belly 2 of the violin, and the length of the space is approximately the same as the length of v r sions, if desired, as the usual bass bars, and may occupy the same relation or relative position on the belly of the instrument as the prevailing style of bass bars now in use. No 5 absolute dimensions can be given, as each instrument requires a bass bar of special size in accordance with the size of the instrument with which it is employed, and the dimensions and graduations of the belly of the instru- 10 ment. i

The length of the sound openings 3 in the top or belly of the instrument usually determine the length of the space 10. The depth of the opening or space 10 may apll proximate one third the height of the wall of the instrument, that is, the space between the back and front walls of the instrument, and the upper edge of the bass bar, that is the edge of the cut out portion, is substantial- 11y parallel with the adjoining inner face of the belly of the instrument. The surface toward the median line is beveled to the same degree as the instrument belly above, to allow for increasing or diminishing the tension of Blithe belly of the instrument.

The moving of the bass sounding post 11 placed between the belly of the instrument and my suspension bass bar forward, backward, inwardly and outwardly, controls the quantity and quality of all the notes in the low register. This bass sounding post 11 placed on my suspension bass bar is to the low register what the regular sounding post now used on the opposite side is to the high m register. This is one of the indispensable features of my invention, and is one of the outstanding improvements.

Thesecond improvement, andof nolesser import, is the opening 10 at the top of the E suspension bar, which allows the vibrations of the strings totravel, unimpeded, down the bridge through the belly of the instrument downthe bass sounding post 11 directly into the body of'the bass bar, producing the fol- II] lowing results increased quantity and quality of tone, quicker response to the touch, longer tone vibrations, easier swelling and fading of tones, uniform adjustment of notes, and easy control of the low register adjustment.

- Uf Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

A string musical instrument, including a body having a. belly and back and sound II opening inthe belly, a bass bar of inverted arch shape intermediate its ends and attached only at its ends to the inner side of the belly laterally of the longitudinal axis of the instrument, said arch shape providing a space GI adjacent the belly of approximately the length of the sound opening in the belly, and a post interposed between andconnecting'the inner face of the belly and the arch portion of the bass bar.

w RICHARD DOE OURRIER. 

